Center for Resilient Native Generations

Emergency Preparedness

About the project

The Center for Resilient Native Generations, CIMCC’s Resiliency Hub, champions the health and wellness of Native peoples. For the Emergency Preparedness project, we strive to enhance community resilience against wildfires and natural disasters by weaving traditional knowledge into emergency preparedness efforts for Native communities.

Our Approach:

Led by an advisory committee of Native community members, the Center for Resilient Native Generations (CRNG) is committed to creating culturally relevant emergency preparedness initiatives tailored specifically for Native communities in Sonoma County.

This project focuses on two key climate-related goals identified through a survey of Native peoples: reducing exposure to wildfire smoke and ensuring access to emergency food.

To tackle the first goal, CRNG and our advisory committee will develop workshops aimed at empowering the Native community to improve indoor air quality during wildfire events. For the second goal, we will establish a comprehensive emergency food response plan through our Basic Needs Assistance Program and a forthcoming commercial kitchen.

All initiatives will be shaped by the community, with input gathered from surveys, questionnaires, community meetings, and direct engagement with our advisory committee. Your participation is essential—read on to learn how you can contribute to this important initiative.

Get involved:

  • Share your insights: Sonoma County Native residents can complete our questionnaire to help inform our future emergency food response and receive a $25 gift card. The results of the food survey will be compiled into a report which will be shared with those who complete the survey and the community more broadly.
  • Join our community meetings: Participate in discussions about emergency food needs (scheduled for 2024) and hear about our emergency food response plan (unveiling in 2026).
  • Stay tuned for workshops: Check back in 2025 to register for our wildfire smoke workshops.

Together, we can strengthen our community and enhance resilience against the challenges posed by wildfires and other natural disasters.